Neighborhood Buzz . . . by Joan Guerin

City Bees on the Farm

A couple of years ago I found myself with an empty nest and a future full of postponed possibilities. My farmer wanna-bee genes were kicking in. I took an organic gardening class through Phipps Conservatory that happened to be taught by Barb Kline from Mildreds’ Daughters Urban Farm. On the last day of class, we students visited her farm – 5 agricultural acres in the middle of a Stanton Heights neighborhood of circa 1950 brick homes. We all checked out the fields, the crops, the bugs, and the soil. We heard the plans for a hoop house and next year’s crop rotation. Then Barb asked, “Who’d like to do a volunteer for the CSA next year?” “Ooo Ooo – me, me, me!!” I raised my hand and jumped up and down like a school kid. And that was that. By the next year, I was planting seedlings in the spring, harvesting in the fall and doing everything else there is to do in between. I was farming!

At the same time, I was enrolled in the first class of wanna-beekeepers through Burgh Bees. The more I learned, the deeper I wanted to get into it. The only thing to do was to keep some hives of my own. So, after a season of consideration, Barb and her partner Randa graciously agreed to let me bring hives to the farm. In April, Robert Steffes -- with the help of Steve Repasky -- delivered my first hive to the farm. It was a proud moment when Robert handed over the hive tool to me. I’ve been at it, happily, ever since. And so have the bees. At least I think they may have something to do with the blueberry bushes being so laden with fruit this year!

Since the bees have arrived at the farm, we’ve all been considerate about their plant preferences. We planted some borage outside of the hoop house to coax them inside to work on the tomatoes there. We planted hundreds of sunflowers along with rudbeckia, aster, sage, anise hyssop and more. The wooded hillside below the hive site is, of course, loaded with Japanese Knotweed and many native pollinator favorites.

As of last month, the bees have new neighbors: ten young chickens raised from peeps share the same fenced yard. I watched as one of them snatched a firefly in mid-air the first day she was out and wondered whether she’d try that with a bee. I figure the chicks and bees will work it out. And why not? They have the best of both worlds: a lush working farm in the middle of the fun and interesting city of Pittsburgh.

I’m thankful to share that space with them – at least for a few days out of the week.

NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ . . . Linda Rathburn

BURGH BEES COMMUNITY APIARY :: Grand Opening Picnic

Sunday afternoon at the Apiary: good neighbors and good friends joined Burgh Bees members and volunteers to celebrate the Grand Opening of the country's first community apiary. And this may have been the best bargain in Pittsburgh this weekend - for a $5 donation (to a buzzworthy cause) guests enjoyed a potluck picnic spread under the food tents, Scott Smith's inimitable East End brewski, live music and poetry readings, a raffle ticket for one of several baskets of beekeeping items, a tour of the apiary - and the best company in town.
~ click on photos for a full-screen view

1 Robert and Steve check out the truckload of plants-for-sale Barb and Randa brought along as donations from Mildreds' Daughters Urban Farm

2 Good eats!




3 Joan is always on hand to give a hand
4 Beekeeper Frank McNutt and Woody discuss the differences among seasonal honey varieties
5 Plants donated for sale by Barb Kline and Randa Shannon, our friends from Mildreds' Daughters Urban Farm, proved to be a popular and profitable fundraiser
6 Robert tends bar - a keg from good neighbor Scott Smith of East End Brewing Company (conveniently right across the street)


7 Guests arrived early and stayed late - and the rain - for once - stayed away
8 The Two Joes


9 Musicians Luci Tedesco, Valery Pinchuk, and Ken Haney made dining alfresco - delizioso!
10 Hot as it was on Sunday, Ron turned up the heat on the grill and turned out the summer's best burgers - THANKS, Ron!



11 Meredith introduces the crowd to the Burgh Bees Directors - - -
12 - - - and the Burgh Bees Apiary Committee


13 Jenny and Joe assist Little Joe in drawing one of the winning raffle tickets
14 A $5 donation bought guests a tableful of picnic food, good music (and poetry!), good company, good beer - and maybe a basketful of beekeeping goodies



15 Steve gets ready to give the apiary tour to our guests - including Pittsburgh Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak
16 Meredith and Alex trade stories with The Bee Hunter - whose goal is "to take good bees out of bad places . . . and give 'em to good people!"


17 Charmaine McDonald and family, celebrating her birthday with the bees!
Top row: Tannie, Earl, Teeahja. Bottom row: Tisha, Teeonna, and Birthday Girl Charmaine
18 Tanya Todd graced the gathering with a beautiful reading of poems by friend and local poet Joda




19 Open air poetry - only at the Apiary
20 Joda shares his poems (and we've shared a copy below)


21 Joda and local artist Lucia M. Aguirre discuss today's readings
22 Burgh Bees Directors Jennie Wood and Robert Steffes say THANKS! to everyone who made today's celebration such a success

Of Human Bonding and Trust
- a poem by Joda

Kind words and deeds are an important
part of the nucleus on Human Bonding.

Of equal importance, ingredients, such as
communication, listening, understanding,
sincerity, and consistency are the glue
and the cement that connects and combines
the love and the respect, that each one can
bring with them and share.

It will also help to improve and make stronger
the friendship, endear the trust, as well as the
spiritual belonging, and to show that we care.

Allow it to flow naturally; observe and behold;
and we will be able to see the beauty as it unfolds,
right before our very eyes. Indeed, what a pleasant
surprise! Peace. Brother Joda

NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ . . . by Viv Shaffer

Sunday, May 2nd ~
Seen at the Bee Scene

Neighbors and beekeepers swarmed to the North Point Breeze home of Woody Shaffer-Carr and his parents for a “Bee Garden Party” to celebrate Burgh Bees’ new community garden and apiary, and to welcome the bees to the neighborhood.

- - - Woody takes the stage

After an appreciative toast to the bees from the new apiary, the host welcomed the human guests and let everyone know how pleased he is that all those present, including the bees, are his neighbors. He then introduced Burgh Bees director Meredith Grelli, who spoke about the importance of bees, pollinating, as they do, a full third of the foods in a typical human diet. Gardeners in the room especially appreciated her remarks about sustainable gardening, knowing that there is much that all of us can do to “give back” to the bees.

- - - Meredith introduces the Burgh Bees' mission

While most of the guests knew of the challenges facing the bees world wide, many were unaware that the number of beekeepers in Pennsylvania is declining as well. Burgh Bees was commended for training more than one hundred fifty new beekeepers, more than half of that number in this year alone. After Meredith introduced Burgh Bees beekeepers Jennie Wood, Steve Repasky, Joe Zgurzynski, Linda Rathburn, Jeff Irwin, and Anna Kim, the room was abuzz as guests took advantage of the chance to learn everything they had always wanted to know about bees, but didn’t know who to ask. Questions were raised about the power of honey to cure pollen allergies and the difference between a bee and a wasp, and conversations ranged from how to attract bees to your garden to how to keep them out of your walls.

Although Meredith noted in her remarks that “It’s not just about the honey,” that famously flavorful bee treat was the centerpiece of the refreshments of the day. Honey was provided by bees from Highland Park, New Brighton, Alaska, and also from undisclosed locations, and transported to the party by Meredith and Steve. Varieties included clover, buckwheat, goldenrod (from New Brighton), and fireweed (from Alaska,) served over apples, cheese and bread. Also delicious were the strawberry jam-dark chocolate vegan brownies, the strawberries and cream cheese dip, and the orange banana almond honey cake provided by generous guests.

Black Strap Stout, Fat Gary, Monkey Girl, and Witte beers from East End Brewing, another favorite neighborhood enterprise, were also on hand. Having discovered that Woody’s parents had already purchased all of the Meade in stock at the local state store, Linda Rathburn stepped up with a bottle of Irish Mist. Some neighbors from Meade Street preferred lemonade over the Meade, but did enjoy speculating as to whether or not the street might have been named for the beverage made of fermented honey and wine.

Undeterred by rain, some strolled into the garden to admire the profusion of dandelions on the lawn, praising the homeowners for maintaining such an attractive habitat and nectar source for spring bees. The future of beekeeping was evident as Joe’s children played in the sunroom, and the bees, no novelty to these beekeeping kids, provided fascinating entertainment for the less experienced adults.
- - - Burgh Bees' youngest beekeepers

The bees were the focus and highlight of the festivities, but created their own buzz in Steve’s observation hive. As one observer was heard to remark, “They never stop working, do they, not even at their own party!”

- - - The guests of honor

The gathering allowed neighbors to make new connections and, in some cases, to renew old friendships. As the guests prepared to buzz off, parting conversations centered on plans to meet at the bee garden for the apiary ribbon cutting on May 14, and the on site party coming up in June. We’ll be hoping to see you there!

- - - Viv Shaffer

NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ . . . by Frank Carr

The Shiloh Peace Garden

Spring came to North Point Breeze as if driven by a bellows, igniting the cityscape with magnolia and daffodil and forsythia blossoms. The plum tree on the patio has left its annual squall of blossoms and the cherry tree is shimmering into the long evening. And on the busy corner of Thomas Boulevard and North Homewood Avenue another bellwether of spring has quietly stirred.

Amid the pastoral oasis of the quiet corner lot a single figure worked the soil with a planting stick. So the dog and I walked over and said hello. It was Jane, a new gardener with Grow Pittsburgh, getting the soil ready for the third summer of the Shiloh Peace Garden. “Onions,” she said, when I asked what was up. “And more leeks.” The first planting of leeks was already a long line of green fountains standing nearly a foot tall.

Shiloh Peace Garden is a collaboration between a benevolent neighbor who bought the property hoping to “keep it green,” and Grow Pittsburgh, an established organization which manages the Frick Greenhouse Project only a couple blocks up Homewood at Penn Avenue. For the past two summers the garden has produced organic vegetables like leeks and peppers and zucchini and herbs and garlic which are sold on site, one day a week. On other days the vegetables are available at the Frick Museum Shop.

In addition to the delicious, healthy food now available on the corner, the Shiloh Peace Garden has become a happy center of quiet activity for the neighborhood on a busy intersection. Even in winter the garden had visitors and, after two years it has become an old friend. We will continue to see (and taste!) what’s growing in the Shiloh Peace Garden all summer long, just for you! You can dig up more information on Grow Pittsburgh and the Shiloh Peace Garden at http://www.growpittsburgh.org/.


Shiloh Peace Garden: Welcome!













East End Brewing Company's Annual Keg Ride Slated for May 14th
Speaking of old friends, another East End Tradition is fast upon us, and this one will begin on the very edge of the new Apiary! I am speaking of course, of the Sixth Annual East End Brewing Company's Pedal Pale Ale Keg Ride. Each year Hops Wizard Scott Smith and his cohorts brew the summer’s supply of Pedal Pale Ale and release it to mark the “beer community’s” start to the cycling and outdoor season. Here’s the word (and a great photo) from the East End Brewing website (go to the "Good Beer News" link on the site's home page, click on the archive link, and check out the March/April Good Beer News): http://groups.google.com/group/eastendbrewing/browse_thread/thread/4a8606a3057a3c5b

"Dust off that bike and polish up your liver - or maybe it's the other
way around? Regardless, it's time to gear up for this year's Keg
Ride. If you're new around here, and don't know what I'm talking
about, for the last 5 years, we've been delivering the very first
kegs of our summer seasonal, PEDAL PALE ALE in a very special way...
by bicycle. And for everyone riding along, the first beer is on me!
Just like the "Reverse Keg Ride" we did in the fall, this one's a
Charity Event too - with 100% of every dollar raised going to two very
worthwhile local charities. Plus we've got a bunch of new stuff this
year too...

- On-line registration/contribution, so no more huge line on ride day!
(Watch for a "Late Breaking" message when this goes live)

- Everyone registering EARLY gets a chance to win an East End Brewing/
Big Hop Cycle Jersey! http://ow.ly/1t9Lk

- Everyone registering EARLY gets a chance to win a Pittsburgh Cycling
Jersey! http://ow.ly/1t9GI

- Want to pull a keg? We're auctioning off 3 keg pulling slots to the
highest bidders! (Auction goes live about 2 weeks before Ride Day -
I'll let you know.)

Read all about the Keg Ride, see the stats and some photos from
previous years, and (eventually) get yourself registered right here:
http://www.eastendbrewing.com/node/830 And by all means, please feel
free to pass this link on to every single person you know. It's going
to be a great day, so I'll see ALL OF YOU and your bikes on May 14th!"

Okay, that’s the recent buzz in North Point Breeze. I’m sure the bees will come to know the garden, and probably the brewery too! Spring, after all, is a time for discovery. ~ Frank Carr